


Masterpiece

by zerurin



Category: Tintin - All Media Types
Genre: Fluff, Forehead Kisses, M/M, Possibly Pre-Slash, Post-Canon
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-14
Updated: 2020-04-14
Packaged: 2021-03-02 04:13:45
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,590
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23649019
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/zerurin/pseuds/zerurin
Summary: Captain Haddock tried to take Tintin out for a first date... ever. But it turns out life was not that easy.a fic for #StayAtHomeChallenge by Aya Kaizumi
Relationships: Archibald Haddock/Tintin
Comments: 2
Kudos: 49
Collections: #StayAtHomeChallenge





	Masterpiece

Archibald.

Composed from Germanic elements, _erchan_ , originally meant "genuine" or “precious”, and _bald_ “bold”. A catchy name, isn’t it? Tintin always adores that name. He thinks the name fits him well. It is also another reason why Tintin never introduces Captain Haddock by his first name. He loves the feeling that only he knew Captain Haddock's first name. It is as simple as that.

His mother gave him that name. _My mother always likes anything that smells of nobility_ , Haddock said. It is weird honestly, compared to Haddock himself, who doesn't really like expensive things, unless it involves alcohol.

Tintin smiles to himself, wondering if their names coincide. Augustin Remi-Haddock. Is it necessary to get rid of his own family name? Augustin Haddock isn't bad either.

Oh, the Captain doesn't know how much Tintin admires him.

Tintin does not intend to tell Haddock in the near future. Not yet.

***

That night should’ve been a night they would spend time alone. Haddock managed to order a place quite far from Marlinspike Hall. A small restaurant on the edge of town that offered expensive food certainly was not Haddock's taste. But when else could he get time alone with the young reporter between his busy schedule of strange adventures? Without interference of Snowy. Or Professor Calculus. Or Nestor.

Initially, Tintin did not understand. Haddock goes out alone all the time. Either it was when he ran out of tobacco or to buy some alcohol. One, two, three, Tintin counts. In three days, he had gone out alone for thirteen times. There was no way Haddock ran out tobacco that fast. Unless that man was going out to see someone else that Tintin did not know.

That was when Tintin asked him.

“We need some alone time together.”

Haddock said. Tintin raised his eyebrows, not anticipating Haddock's answer, which sounded so intimate. Before Tintin could ask again, Haddock continued. “I mean—we need time to relax. Just the two of us.”

“So you went out just to check if everything is in order?”

“Of course! I do not want to waste a good opportunity for us, after all we’ve been through.”

Tintin swore he saw the Captain blushed in front of him.

“Do you have some place in mind, Captain?” Tintin asked, clearly trying to sound dumbfounded.

“Aye. But I can’t tell you yet. It is a surprise! Just make sure you put your best garb tomorrow night. Okay, laddie?”

A small pat on the back was enough to make Tintin almost lose his control. He flashed his best smile, watching Haddock went to his room. When Haddock was gone from his sight, Tintin covered his mouth with his hand, trying to supress a smile. His face felt hot and red all of sudden.

He rushed into his own bedroom in a speed of light.. He grabbed a pillow from his bedside and slammed his poor head repeatedly to it. Enough to make Snowy who was napping, dead worried.

His dog whined, pawing at his feet, as if asking what just happened to him.

If Haddock were a painting, he would be like one of the old paintings that archaeologists tried to recover from the wheel of time. Bold with colours. Precious. Full of emotions from his painter. Ripped at every edge yet he was a masterpiece.

Tintin remembered when he first saw Haddock. He thought Haddock as a person who need to be saved, at first. From injustice he experienced on his own ship. Just like any other person he saved in his adventures that just came and went. But when he saw that model ship of Unicorn at the market, his thoughts immediately went to the Captain.

And then just like that, whenever there’s Tintin, there’s Haddock. Like it or not, that man has became a guardian to him. Whether he like it or not.

“This is not fair. This is clearly not fair. Making me blush like this.”

***

The second they tried to leave Marlinspike despite the storm that night (Haddock refused to back up), their car broke down at Marlinspike’s courtyard. The Captain tried to fix the car, but ended up almost struck by a lightning. He also wanted to call for Nestor, but the storm was too great to handle. Shortly, Marlinspike was hit by a blackout, leaving that mansion in a total darkness. Tintin could hear his dog howling and crying inside the great hall.

_Poor Snowy_ , Tintin thought. That dog was probably afraid of the thunder.

“Let’s just stay inside the car, Captain. It is our only protection against the storm.” Haddock didn’t answer. His expression was stern and Tintin could only feel anger inside of that man. He pulled the captain onto the backseat and let him vent.

“Blistering barnacles, this goddamn storm. I’ve been preparing for two weeks. _Two weeks_!”

“We can go there some other time, Captain. Now—” Tintin moved closer to Haddock, rubbing his own hands together. It got cold so fast, and Tintin couldn’t stand that.”We just have to wait.”

Haddock grumbled, taking Tintin’s hand and held it tightly, warming him. He let the boy lean to his shoulder. It was just a normal gesture between them. But Tintin thought otherwise.

Ten minutes.

Twenty minutes.

Thirty.

And then an hour.

Tintin was always good at counting.

He didn't know where he got his talent. But he remembered a faint memory of a woman with a soft voice and a beautiful face, teaching him how to count when he was just a wee lad. Perhaps she was his teacher when he was still in school. Perhaps she was his caretaker at an orphanage he was in. Or perhaps she was his own mother, before death took her to his side.

Tintin didn't remember. He had put his past behind him. But somehow, right now, between the warmth of his beloved Captain and the raging rain outside of the car, Tintin lost his count.

Haddock's fingers were intertwined with his. Seeking warmth. The redhead wondered why Haddock had more body warmth than himself. Perhaps it was the alcohol.

For the first time ever, Tintin was thankful Haddock drank those godforsaken liquid.

"I like your name." Tintin said, almost like a whisper.

"How so?"

Haddock pulled Tintin close, giving him more body warmth. The boy was shivering. Cold breaths whenever the boy exhaled, and he couldn't watch it any longer.

When Haddock looked over to him, the redhead’s eyes were half closed. Maybe the warmth made him sleepy. Or he was just tired even though they did absolutely nothing today aside from preparing for this ruined date night.

"It means precious." Tintin paused. He held his head up, staring at Haddock straight in the eye with his sleepy eyes. Just like a puppy."You are precious to everyone around you. You are precious to me, Captain."

Haddock cleared his throat. Thank god for the blackout. If the lights from Marlinspike Hall were there, Tintin would’ve seen see his flushed face. He didn't want any of that.

"Really? Thundering typhoons, me? Precious? This old sea dog who knows nothing except to be drunk and acting foolish?"

Tintin chuckled at his denial. Haddock find himself smiling after hearing the boy's laugh.

"Yes, you do act foolish sometimes. You know, I hate that I have to hide your whiskey stash or when I have to check if there's any on the Marlinspike's groceries list. I hate that I have to worry about your safety whenever we are out there, adventuring. I hate to remember every time you are close to death, like when we were in Tibet. When you wanted to cut that rope just to save me—"

"It wasn't foolish, lad.” Haddock cut him.”One had to make a decision and you are young and I'm old. You still have a life ahead of you."

"I'm not finished." Tintin protested. He sighed. The thought of Haddock dying crossed his mind again. Tintin held Haddock's hand even tighter this time.

"Or when you went to San Theodoros even though I didn't want to and I clearly knew it was a trap. I couldn't help but missing you. Or when we came back to the moon and I saw you lying there helpless. Or on our last adventure. I saw you beside me. Dangling from the rope. I thought of you dying, countless times, Captain, and I hate that. And I prefer to die together with you than seeing you take your last breath. Perhaps I am selfish, yes, I can’t deny that. But I know you are very precious to me.”

Haddock stayed silent this time. This is the first time he heard the boy talked about his feelings. Haddock couldn’t help but glance at Tintin, who was as quiet as he was. Haddock heard the rain pouring, and steady breaths from the boy beside him. Pure, and such innocence. Haddock would never stain it.

“Tintin?”

Haddock turned his head to look at him. Tintin had fallen asleep, just like that. For a while, Haddock sighed of relief. He felt warm for no reason. Fluttering, even. Like butterflies in his stomach. Carefully, Haddock placed a kiss on Tintin’s forehead.

“You have me, lad. Until every star in the galaxy dies, you have me.”

_If Haddock were a painting, he would be like one of the old paintings that archaeologists tried to recover from the wheel of time. Bold with colours. Precious. Full of emotions from his painter._

_Ripped at every edge._

_Yet he was a masterpiece._

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you very much, seerstella for betareading my first fic ever in this site!  
> This is the first time I contribute to the fandom, I apologize if there's any mistake :')
> 
> Reviews are really appreciated!


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